An aerospace component is a component designed to form part of an aircraft or spacecraft. Such components are therefore designed and manufactured to a high level of precision. Components often including subcomponents that move relative to one another.
In conventional machining and assembly processes, subcomponents are individually formed and then assembled into the aerospace component. For example, subcomponents can be formed by conventional processes such as casting or forging, often supplemented by additional subtractive manufacturing processes such as milling, cutting, turning and sawing. Such processes are well established and can produce a subcomponent that has good mechanical properties and surface finish.
However, the present inventors have identified that known methods for producing an aerospace component can have one or more of the following disadvantages:                the subcomponents are often designed to suit the method of assembly, which can result in a sub-optimal design for their intended function;        connection interfaces between sub components can lead to points of weakness such as stress raisers; and        components can be overly complex and/or time consuming to manufacture.        